The smell of delicious cooking rolled over The Oracle as she stood outside Lloer, the inn. It dragged her to her once-familiar past. Oddly, it did not bring comfort. The tautness of her shoulders left a trail as it slithered down her spine to her stomach. The blue utilitarian gown that she wore became heavy on her body as her lungs clenched in need of air. Purple light began filling her vision. Memories clouded her thoughts.
'Hey! Hey!', a heavy hand shook her by her shoulder. 'Look at me!' The Oracle looked up to see the kind grey eyes of The Master Rigger of The Azule Phoenix. She took a deep breath and felt her senses return to her.
'You are alright.' The voice of the Rigger, usually guttural and rough, now reverberated with kindness. He was dressed in his finest for the Lloer. His long greying hair plaited back, grey beard trimmed, he reminded the Oracle of her own grandfather. If, her grandfather knew how to fight and knew the sails of their ship like the back of his hands. The Oracle gave a small smile of gratitude in return.
'Will you faint?' The Rigger frowned at the blunt question from the Captain. The Oracle dismissed it with a wave of her hand.
'No. It's just nostalgia kicking me in the gut.' The Captain frowned.
The sight of the tiny woman, in her long dress that was mandatory for entry into the Lloer, tempted the Oracle to burst out laughing.
After a moment of staring, the Captain led her party to the Lloer for the bargain.
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The usherer of the Lloer told the trio that their seats had already been set and led them inside. The Oracle was surprised to see the famous inn of Eheneas - the sister island of Simia - had been refurbished fabulously. Although it had been only two years since the Oracle left the Guild for The Azule Phoenix, Lloer had flourished under new management. What was then a dilapidated inn with crooked chairs, rickety walls, and a shady bartender, was now an elegant establishment with linen-covered tables, shiny floors, and an usherer, no less.
The Oracle hated every bit of it.
Right from the prim usherer to the mahogany walls, the Oracle hated every bit of the new Lloer. Not to mention the fact that she was here to bargain for her sister's life. Not that the establishment itself was responsible for the heinous kidnapping, but the Oracle swore that she would burn this inn down to mere ashes for what it was about to witness.
'They've stuffied it up', The Master Rigger voiced the Oracle's thoughts - at least, a fraction of it - as they climbed the stairs to the seats allotted to them on the first level. The usherer stepped lightly to the side, as the group stopped short, taking in the sight.
The first level of the Lloer was its specialty - six, 6-feet wide, wooden circular discs with silver railings, hung suspended from the ceiling by means of thick ropes. On each disc, a round table with two plush chairs was set. Clearly meant for a private, romantic, evening. A couple was sitting at the table nearest to them. Even though it was dark on this level, the Oracle could see the stiffness of the woman's shoulders and the pleading eyes of the man.
'Madames, Sir,' the usherer said in clipped tones. 'I was instructed to allow only the captain to the... Um...' he indicated the hanging platforms, 'the Ataliedig.'
'The what?' The Captain shot a questioning look at usherer.
'The suspended floors.' It was the Oracle who answered. The knot in her stomach had tightened. The use of the old tongue was commonplace in the Sister Islands, the homeplace of The Oracle's Guild. The rest of the Kingdom did not care to follow suit.
'Madame is right.' The usherer gave the Oracle a bright smile, which she did not return. 'So, sir, if you may,' he turned to the Master Rigger, pointing to the opening on the landing.
'My man,' the Rigger said, laughing, 'I would love to, but tis' not me you want.' The Captain shook her head slightly before stepping forward.
'Of course, beg your pardon Madame, please, step on to the plate. Ah! right there. Please wait.' the usherer started rotating the lever on the pillar on the edge of the landing. With a low rumbling sound, a wide slab of wood was lowered from above. Suspended from thick ropes like the platform, the board closed the distance between the landing and the table.
'She looks like a kid in that dress,' mused the Rigger, looking at the Captain walking across the board to her table.
'She is short.' The Oracle sniggered.
'I'd like to see you call that to her face.' The Rigger snorted.
'Been there. Done that. And I have the scar to prove it.' They both chuckled at the memory.
'Would you like to have one of the tables below?' The usherer asked the Oracle and the Master Rigger, when the Captain had finally sat down.
'No, thank you,' the Master Rigger replied. 'We are fine to wait here.' With a nod, the usherer left them standing on the landing.
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Barely a minute had passed when another man stepped onto the landing. Tall, gaunt, with silver hair, and bright grey eyes, the white tunic that he wore gave him a surreal sheen. Arc Huxford. The Captain of the merchant ship, "Opal". The Oracle's palms went cold as every nerve on her body stood alert. Oh! How she despised this man! She itched to wipe that sneaky grin off his face and bury him alive. The hatred that burned inside her was so all-consuming that she nearly ran after him to the wooden bridge. The Master Rigger's restraining hand prevented her from that. Without glancing at them, Huxford walked across the bridge to the Captain.
The Captain was staring aghast at the man walking towards her. Evidently, a face from her past.
'Small world innit.' Huxford smiled at the staring Captain. 'Oh! I see that you didn't expect to see me here.' The Oracle was surprised to hear the conversation happening in the dialect of the mainlands. Even though she didn't know much about the Captain, the Oracle did not expect fluency in the mainland vernacular to be her forte.
'You are going by Huxford now?' The Captain asked after a moment's pause.
'Just one of the many names I have.' An oily smile distorted Huxford's face. The Captain's stare did not lose its intensity. 'I do not want to waste time.' Huxford leaned forward, his tunic shimmering in the candlelight, his grey eyes shining with excitement. 'So, do you have the map?'
With a deep breath, the Captain took out the map from her sleeve and slowly kept it on the table. She didn't let go of the map.
'I need to see the girl.'
'You really expect me to hand over my bargaining chip?' Huxford's sneer met the Captain's forlorn gaze. 'My dear, you are yet to learn the ways of conducting yourself in a bargain. I will let you see the girl once I'm satisfied with the map, not a moment before. Seeing that you were exceptionally good at deceit, it is only fair.'
The Oracle looked over with bated breath as the Captain handed over the map to Huxford with a sigh. She wondered how Huxford was going to determine the authenticity of the map. As far as she knew, only people trained in the arcane studies could read the map, let alone determine whether it is authentic or not. Clearly, Huxford was proficient in the arcane arts, for he gave a satisfied smile.
Huxford snapped his fingers. The audible gasp that emanated from the Oracle echoed in the dark level. Looking over to the other occupied table, the Captain got her first glimpse at what seemed like a smaller version of the Oracle. This was Aylin. Dark-haired like her sister, with the same broad forehead, Aylin looked frail beside Rhys Caxton, the first-mate of the Opal, who was holding her by her shoulder. Aylin stood very still, her brimming eyes betraying the fear she had.
'You have seen the girl.' Huxford looked at the Captain, 'Let's talk.'
'There's nothing to talk.' The Captain stood up to leave. 'You have your map. I am taking the girl.'
'You are not taking the girl anywhere until I've had my say.' Huxford hissed. 'Sit Down!' The Oracle was shocked to see the Captain obey. Huxford leaned back on his chair with a smirk. 'Wasn't hard, was it? Alright, again, now that you have seen the girl, I am going to propose.'
'A toast?' the Captain asked, her voice incredulous.
'An opportunity!' Huxford rolled his eyes. 'Honestly!' After a dramatic sigh, he continued. 'My employer is offering you and your crew a piece of land and a ship. Each.' The Captain narrowed her eyes.
'Why?'
'Let's just say it's a long term investment for her.'
'This offer.... it's in exchange for?'
'It is an offer, dear child. It comes without any cost.'
'Well, in that case, it is generous. But we have no need for gold. Or land.'
'Ah! Yes!' The lazy smile that danced upon Huxford's face as he stretched his arms, reminded the Oracle of a lion resting after devouring its prey. 'I had heard whispers of a ghost ship that travels far and wide, rescuing the slaves, helping the poor and needy. But surely, there is something that even the noblest of the pirates covet.'
'And what's that? Your seal of approval?'
'Freedom.' Huxford's intense grey eyes focused on the Captain's face. 'Every pirate vessel that traverses the seas has to obey the Law of the Sorceress. My employer is offering you freedom from that. You just have to say the word.'
It was the Captain's turn to lean back in her chair. 'No.'
'No?' 'No!'
'Are you sure you won't reconsider?' Huxford asked. The Captain whipped her around, detecting a sharp movement from the adjacent table.
'There is nothing to reconsider,' menace shadowed the Captain's face as she tore her eyes away from Aylin.
'Well then,' Huxford got up, stuffing the map deep into the pockets of his tunic while the Captain watched from her seat. Stepping next to her, swift like a snake, Huxford lifted the Captain up from her chair, grabbing her neck, holding a dagger to her throat.
'You must be pretty thick to swim onto my shore unarmed.' Huxford's breath on the Captain's face reeked of garlic. 'Now, you will pay for that.' He seethed. 'You will pay for all the sins you have ever done,' he spat out, 'I will skin you alive,' He chuckled maniacally. 'I will bathe in your blood,' He pressed the dagger gently on the Captain's throat, drawing a trickle of blood. 'I will dance to your screams as I slowly burn you to your death.' Huxford's hungry eyes traveled down the Captain's throat, watching the blood botch her bodice. So fixated was he with the sight of blood that he missed the glint in the Captain's eyes.
'Get to Aylin.' The Captain commanded. Huxford's eyes shot up to meet hers. Just as the Captain punched him on his throat, making him choke. She jabbed Huxford's hand holding the dagger, forcing him to drop it. Catching it with the other hand, the Captain stabbed Huxford, first in his stomach, then, not giving him the time to gasp, stabbed him again on his armpit. Sliding the dagger out of Huxford's body, the Captain sliced open his throat with it, spraying her face and bodice with his blood. Huxford grabbed the Captain's dress as he collapsed on his knees, holding his bleeding throat, gasping for breath. The Captain reached inside Huxford's tunic, taking the map, her lips a grim line. The Captain looked over to the adjacent table as Huxford bled out at her feet.
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